Evangelical, right-wing groups are engaging in a vast, many-pronged "cultural war" to manipulate sexual anxieties and determine what goes on in American's bedrooms.

To help roll back the sexual revolution of the 1970s, the Bush administration spent over $1 billion on abstinence-only programs. Thousands of sermons, workshops and other propaganda reinforced the message. Under the pithy slogan ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, use Condoms), ultra-conservative religious groups, such as Focus on the Family, American Family Association and Concerned Women for America, promote marriage as a solution to everything from suicide to poverty and self-worth issues.

"How could an aggressive minority successfully push the most grotesque message of abstinence, and why are 95 percent of Americans who claim to have had premarital sex unable to admit it publicly?" asks Dagmar Herzog, a professor of history at the City University of New York.

She became interested in the topic from her studies in European history that revealed: Far from discouraging sex, the Nazis promoted it among both married and unmarried Aryans. At the same time, they targeted Jews, who supposedly engaged in "dirty sex," and "immoral" supporters of the Weimar Republic, and enlisted German Protestants and Catholics to clean up the "sex mess."

"The conservative evangelical sexual politics of the 1990s and early 21st century are totally new," Herzog says. "Premarital sex was perfectly normal in the South when I grew up. The churches weren't hung up on sex back then so I knew that this new sexual repression was recent."

In Sex in Crisis, the New Sexual Revolution and the Future of American Politics (Basic Books), Herzog shows how the origins of today's anti-tax, anti-government movement began during the Civil Rights era when the government revoked the tax-exempt status of the religious-oriented Bob Jones University that first denied admission to African Americans and then banned interracial dating. The "cultural war" strategy also coincided with the AIDs epidemic and gays and lesbians coming out of the closet.

Far from being anti-sexual, today's evangelicals push "a hyper-sexualized" message, complete with Christian pornography and bragging about having great sex. Evangelical sex advice books emphasize the dangers of sex outside marriage, but revel in titillating sexual details. Even if they aren't interested, Christian wives are told to be "available" to their husbands at all times, especially for "quickies."

"Although the evangelical movement is contradictory and hypocritical, it's important to understand that it's pro-sex," says Herzog. "The evangelicals promise physiological orgasms, called 'soulgasms,' which combine psychological orgasms, a close emotional connection with the spouse, and the blessing presence of God in the bedroom. At the same time, they're homophobic and hostile to all sex outside marriage."

To develop a strategy to focus on state and local legislation that would target homosexuals and gay rights, leaders of Focus on the Family, the Eagle Forum, Traditional Values Coalition, the National Legal Foundation and other Christian political groups met in Colorado in 1994. Most importantly, they decided to shift their tactics away from strictly religious messages to adopt the secular language of fermenting fear and of disease. Subsequently, religious conservatives turned their attention to pushing abstinence. Their message would adapt to the new age and human potential movements with talk of self-help, individual empowerment, self-improvement and personal perfection.

Playing on increased primal sexual anxieties that include confusion about the relationship between sex and love, and doubts about one's own attractiveness to one's partner, doubts that increased with exposure to Internet porn and Viagra, evangelicals promoted a relentless no-sex-outside-marriage program.

In 2006, the Department of Health and Human Services issued sex-education guidelines that mandate teaching about "the potential psychological side effects" of sex, such as drinking, disease, depression and suicide. Money for abstinence education discouraged sex among unmarried Americans between the ages of 19 and 29.

This assault on sexuality doesn't work. According to surveys conducted by evangelicals, 95 percent of adults admit to having premarital sex. Half of all Christian men claim to be addicted to Internet porn, along with 20 percent of Christian women. Adolescents who take the abstinence pledge wait 18 months longer to have sex, but girls are much more likely to become pregnant when they do have sex.

In contrast, Europe teens are taught that sex is natural, healthy and pleasurable. They get free contraceptives, medical care and counseling. Despite what Americans would call a permissive society, some would say sinful, American teenage girls are three times more likely to get pregnant than those in Sweden and four times more likely than those in Germany. American teens are 70 times more likely to get gonorrhea than those in France or the Netherlands.

Presenting premarital sex as "risky behavior" hides an intrusive and insidious attack on sexuality. Far healthier would be to recognize human autonomy and self-determination of sexual expression. America needs comprehensive sex education, contraceptive distribution and counseling to overcome the destructive social and personal effects of sexually repressive religious morality.

Post subject: Re: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HYPOCRICY, YOU NEEDN'T LOOK FURTHER

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:56 pm

Site Admin

Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 11:46 pmPosts: 14444Location: NC

Quote:

Half of all Christian men claim to be addicted to Internet porn, along with 20 percent of Christian women. Adolescents who take the abstinence pledge wait 18 months longer to have sex, but girls are much more likely to become pregnant when they do have sex.

In contrast, Europe teens are taught that sex is natural, healthy and pleasurable. They get free contraceptives, medical care and counseling. Despite what Americans would call a permissive society, some would say sinful, American teenage girls are three times more likely to get pregnant than those in Sweden and four times more likely than those in Germany. American teens are 70 times more likely to get gonorrhea than those in France or the Netherlands

.

I always cringe when I read long reports or essays about "girls" getting pregnant, regardless of their nationality. Does no one recognize that it takes TWO TO TANGO? Why isn't the male's responsibility for the impregnation of thr female given as much attention...from anybody? Indeed, if the male wasn't so irresponsible, he might hesitate before he pulled down his zipper. Maybe he'd take the time to use a condom, regardless of what the girl might tell him about her birth control methods. I am convinced that it's just as much the male's responsibility for unwanted pregnancies as it is for the female's, and it has nothing to do with religion. It's just common sense.

It's not just up to the girl or woman to say NO. It's the male's responsibility to also say NO!

And look at that silly Ted Haggard, making the rounds of the talk shows, getting all the attention he could ever want, and garnering up all the sympathy he could ever want. One more example of how religion and sex shouldn't be mixed.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Post subject: Re: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HYPOCRICY, YOU NEEDN'T LOOK FURTHER

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 3:03 pm

SuperMember!

Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2005 12:50 amPosts: 1456Location: Ct.

I agree with you that both are responsible.

I think that the answer to your question is "Who is the one to ultimately suffer".

If teens experience a pregnancy, at most the male will only have to pay child support. He does not have to see the child, he does not have to take care of the child, nor does he have to worry about the child. He is basically able to continue on with his goals and dreams with very little repercussions.

The same can not be said for the female. Normally she is the one who ends up having to struggle, she is the one who has to take care of the child, she is the one that worries, feeds, clothes, drops out of school, and otherwise makes all of the sacrifices.

How can we change this? To be honest, I do not have an answer.

Anyway, I think the reason they focus on the females is because in the end it is they who pay/suffer and I unfortunately do not see this changing. (I really hate using the term suffer when it comes to a child:( )

The other countries have it right in my opinion. What should be obvious to these idiot religious fundamentalist in this country is that the kids are going to do it no matter what. Instead of treating sex as taboo, come to accept it as a natural human tendency, EDUCATE the children, and SUPPLY what is needed to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

In our society, sex is still taboo. It is just not talked about and in this environment it becomes embarrassing to bring up between a parent and their child, so many times it goes left unsaid and the kids learn everything from other kids.

Until we as a society recognize this fact, it will just not change and the people who refuse to recognize it are morons.......

Lol...I better stop before I begin to rant.

Anyway, this is why I think the focus is on the females more than the males. Until we find a way to make both parents equally responsible it is the female who bears the brunt of the pregnancy. If we can find a way to change that, the conversation will go from the teen girls getting pregnant, to the teen couples having a child in which both of their lives are equally affected.

Other than forced marriage, I can not think of anything, and we know that wont work. Any thoughts on your part?

Also, I am not saying that this is in anyway a justification, it is just what I see as being the cause. They could change the wording around to include the male but without equal repercussions for said pregnancy it still would fall on the females shoulders, and if they just stick to "teen" pregnancy, without equal repercussions it will still be seen as "teen girl" pregnancy because when we think of pregnancy we think of a woman with a big belly and a child growing inside.

I hope that what I wrote makes some type of sense. Once again, I'm not saying that its right, its just the way that I see it from the outside looking in.

Crimson.

_________________CrimsonEagleThe war to end all wars can only be fought on the front-lines of the mind.

The greatest deception they have perpetrated is that we need them. Our greatest mistake is that we believe them.

Post subject: Re: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HYPOCRICY, YOU NEEDN'T LOOK FURTHER

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 7:46 pm

Site Admin

Joined: Sat May 29, 2004 11:46 pmPosts: 14444Location: NC

You did a good job of saying it all, CE. I am in complete agreement. Too bad the female ends up with the burden, and unfortunately, her parents are also burdened, if they're still around. I can't tell you how many families I know of in my general area who are raising their daughters' kids.

EDUCATE, EDUCATE, EDUCATE...and our society should stop making such a taboo of sexual subjects. Anything that is mysterious and FORBIDDEN is going to be like a magnate for young people. It's amazing that so many families still buy into the idea that their kids won't indulge in exploring their emerging sexuality if they are exposed to church teachings.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Post subject: Re: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HYPOCRICY, YOU NEEDN'T LOOK FURTHER

Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 4:21 am

Moderator

Joined: Sun Sep 03, 2006 6:42 amPosts: 2046Location: Surprise, AZ USA

Among major universities in the country, the highest unwed pregnancy rate is Brigham Young University. It is thought the reason for this is that sex before marriage is somehow less sinful if it isn't planned, done in the heat of the moment. Of course my grandfather always said, "the first can come at any time, the rest take nine months."

These are adults, albeit young college aged adults, which have been taught to NOT use their intellect. Any reasonable anthropomorphic model of God would reward intellect not penalize it. I continued to be amazed that these clowns define what should be an all-knowing and all-powerful Being with such limitations.

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers

The dogmatic unwillingness of Wis. Gov. Scott Walker to negotiate or to compromise with Democrats or unions has surprised many people in the state. One explanation for his attitude may be found in his religious convictions.

In a talk to the Christian Businessmen’s Committee in Madison on November 13, 2009, Walker, who was raised by a Baptist preacher, spoke about his personal relationship with God, his “walk to Christ,” and his belief in the need to “trust and obey” the Lord.

He told the group that when he was thirteen, he committed himself to Jesus. “I said, ‘Lord, I’m ready . . . not just in front of my Church and the world but most importantly at the foot of your Throne, I’m ready to follow you each and every day. . . . I have just full out there said, ‘I’m going to trust in you Christ to tell me where to go. And to the best of my ability I’m going to obey where you lead me,’ and that has made all the difference in the world to me, for good times and bad.”

Walker said that God has told him what to do every step of the way, including about what jobs to take, whom to marry, and when to run for governor.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman

Here's another one of those rich Christian leaders spouting a bunch of nonsense about the Japan Earthquake and how it means Jesus is coming back...but he does qualify his statements with "I DON"T KNOW...: What he means is...SEND MONEY NOW IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO HEAVEN!

Graham said that Jesus told his followers that earthquakes were one of the signs of the second coming.

"Maybe this is, I don't know. But regardless, all of us need to be prepared to stand before almighty God," Graham said.

As he explained, an increase in natural disasters was just like how "as a woman gives birth to a child, those labor pains as they begin they start intensifying with more frequency."

Video AT THE LINK

I Loved the comments made the link...especially this one by Richardxx:

Quote:

But... but... It's all written down and everyone knows that stuff that is written will come to pass! I mean, that's what's written in the Bible, isn't it?

That stuff, mostly written down from stories passed verbally from father to son around shepherd's campfires for centuries first and the rest of it, written down often by someone barely literate in the first place, just has to be TRUE!

If it's not true, then why did the Emperor Constantine collect the stories, thrown out the ones his committee didn't like, enter them into the canon and use them to preserve the Roman Empire for a few more centuries??

And if it's all true, it was passed on in handwritten copies for over a thousand years so that there are more errors in the copies than there are total words! The originals are, of course, long gone.

How can anything in the Bible be true? Oh, wait. The existence of the Christian Church is dependent on that myth, isn't it? It's like getting cigarette executives to admit that tobacco causes cancer. They won't do it when their paycheck depends on never admitting they are not telling the truth. The same dynamic applies to priests and preachers, and as their rank and paychecks increase, the dynamic is even greater.

Check Franklin Graham's social rank and paycheck and ask what he can be expected to say.

_________________

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."Honore de Balzac

"Democrats work to help people who need help. That other party, they work for people who don't need help. That's all there is to it."~Harry S. Truman